Reed, Harbaugh, work it out

Aaron Wilson

07/27/2010

WESTMINSTER -- Baltimore Ravens star free safety Ed Reed's summer of discontent has earned him a pending meeting with coach John Harbaugh.
Reed has recently complained about his six-year, $40 million contract that has three remaining years with base salaries of $6 million this year, $6.5 million in 2011 and $7.2 million in 2012.

He has also cited a lack of support from the organization, claiming the team refused to provide him with game film to watch.

And he's still recovering from a painful hip surgery that could possibly sideline him for an undetermined portion of the regular season.

Harbaugh said that he spoke with Reed on the telephone last week, adding that he plans to have a face-to-face conversation regarding the game-film issue with the former NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Reed reported for training camp at McDaniel College on Monday.

"The thing he wanted to do and I agreed with was, ‘Let's talk about that stuff one-on-one,'" Harbaugh said. "When he gets in, we'll have a chance to sit down and work out the football part of it, that being the tape part of it. We have a policy for information that pretty much every team in the league has. Game tape, practice tape, cutups, notebooks, game-plan stuff, we handle kind of with care.

"We try to control the information as much as we can, but we send it out to our players and there's a certain communication that goes on that obviously didn't go on very well this summer since Ed is upset about it. When I get a chance to talk to him one-on-one, we'll get it worked out. Ed studies football. If Ed needs tape, he'll have tape. That's very straightforward."

Reed disclosed last week during another radio interview that he was unhappy about the game-film issue.

"Don't treat me like that after I gave my blood, sweat and tears for this guy, for this organization," Reed said. "I train my tail off. I'm putting my life on line, but I have to give you an excuse to study tape? When I do give you an excuse, and my excuse is I'm studying tape, that's not a good enough excuse. But Ed is wrong for asking for a new contract.

"Come on, man. I don't have to be playing for them. I could retire. I don't need the money. They could come and get the money if they want. Money don't me. Money didn't put me here."

Harbaugh acknowledged that Reed will begin training camp on the active physically unable to perform list, so he won't be practicing anytime soon.

It's unclear when Reed will return, but he's definitely expected to play this season after having his hip repaired in April. Reed has also battled a painful nerve impingement over the past few years and has said he was advised by doctors that he needs to have surgery at some point.

"He will be playing for us as soon as he possibly can, and I believe it will be early as he possibly can because that's the kind of player he is and that's the kind of day he is," Harbaugh said. "I agree with Ed, he has fought through injuries as well as anybody in the NFL over the last two or three years.

"I really respect that. I admire him for that. We want to do everything we possibly can to help him get healthy and then be the best player he can possibly be."